Anyone who expected Odell Beckham Jr or Josh Norman to talk smack at each other before their celebrated match-up today shouldn’t be disappointed in the lack of pre-game noise.
The fun will be on the field, and we aren’t just talking catches, interceptions, big hits and touchdowns. The pair of NFL stars are notorious celebrators. Whatever boasting in the game, featuring New York Giants wide receiver Beckham and Carolina Panthers cornerback Norman, likely will be expressed in post-play dancing, posing and theatrical displays.
Early last week, Panthers coach Ron Rivera said that Norman will, indeed, go one-on-one against Beckham.
But it didn’t spark anything between the two but praise for the other’s abilities.
Norman did say it was “enticing”, and “it looks very edible”. Not that anyone knew what that meant. And Beckham did wear boots last week with a likeness of “The Joker”, the nemesis of “Batman”, a persona Norman has embraced as his own.
Beckham said his shoe choice that day was a coincidence.
Celebrations will be their platform. Beckham has imitated Ray Lewis’s notorious “Squirrel Dance”, and raced through the end zone mimicking the hurdles, in honour of his mother, a former track star. Norman has pretended to ride the football like a horse , and is fond of flexing his biceps after big plays.
If the pre-game chest-thumping has been tame, don’t expect that to continue once the game starts.
Beckham’s and Norman’s personalities are too big to let this showdown pass without the dramatic flair for which it begs.
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